Would you wear shorts all winter? A teacher at Echuca High School in the late 1970s accepted and completed such a challenge.
It highlights how the climate has changed. It is not unusual to see bare arms and legs on the streets of Echuca in the midst of winter this year.
Farmers are among those most impacted by climate variations. Unprecedented natural disasters, increasing heatwaves, higher evaporation, unpredictable seasons, lower productivity, insecure income and more make farming harder.
Any efforts to slow this creeping disaster must be embraced.
VicGrid has held public consultations for a Renewable Energy Zone that partly sits within the Shire of Campaspe.
The REZ guides the development of energy sources in the zone to ensure it matches with the capacity of existing power infrastructure and is sensitive to existing land use, natural resources, flora and fauna.
Already it has been reported that enough solar is in the zone and more wind would be encouraged to diversify the mix.
The Campaspe Shire Council submission rightly highlights biodiversity, productive farmland and natural resources as worth protecting and concludes no renewables are appropriate.
The submission fails to point out there is also a lot of land that is low in these values where clean power could sit.
Agrivoltaics combines farming with solar. Crops are grown and stock graze under the panels.
Shade from the panels reduces evaporation and cools animals, increasing productivity and bringing a bonus income for cheap energy shared with all of us.
Benefits include: Diversifying income for landowners; jobs installing and maintaining power plants; opportunities for community grants; discounted power; and clean tourism.
Council needs to understand how a warming climate impacts this area and our farmers. Renewables reduce warming pollution — that needs embracing.
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